Phantom Lights

Archive for the ‘Contracts’ Category

DZYNE Introduces Dronebuster 4-EU, Expands Production After Securing Multi-Million-Dollar Global Contract

Thursday, April 24th, 2025

European-Tailored Wearable Drone Detection and Defeat Solution Enhances Protection Across Critical Sectors; Growing International Demand Drives Production Boost

April 23, 2025, Irvine, California

DZYNE Technologies, a pioneer in autonomous defense systems, today introduced the Dronebuster® 4-EU, an upgraded variant of its acclaimed handheld counter-drone system that incorporates both fixed site and wearable drone detection and visualization options for European customers. Specifically engineered to operate within European short-range device frequency bands, the 4-EU model addresses the escalating need for region-specific, adaptable counter-drone solutions across various sectors worldwide. In addition to providing users with the option to jam unwanted drones across a variety of EU-specific frequencies, the Dronebuster® 4-EU also incorporates an optional PNT (Position, Navigation, and Timing) attack mode to neutralize satellite-controlled drones across the GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, or BeiDou constellations.

“The versatility of Dronebuster® 4-EU empowers security personnel across sectors to effectively counteract unauthorized drones,” added George Schwartz, EVP of Products at DZYNE. “Our commitment to innovation ensures that we continue to meet the diverse and evolving needs of our global customers.”

DZYNE’s growing international impact is underscored by a recent multi-million-dollar contract award for Dronebuster® from an undisclosed allied customer — further validating the system’s global relevance and operational value.

“The proliferation of drones has introduced complex security challenges globally,” said Matthew McCue, CEO of DZYNE Technologies. “The Dronebuster® 4-EU provides security teams and infrastructure operators with adaptable, region-specific protection across diverse environments. To keep pace with surging demand, we have had to significantly increase production and personnel across engineering, production, and business development.”

DZYNE’s Counter-UAS portfolio has rapidly become one of the most trusted and operationally proven defense solutions worldwide. With more than 2,200 Dronebuster® units sold globally—including over 1000 actively deployed with U.S. Armed Forces—Dronebuster® is officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense as a Program of Record, further affirming its operational reliability and mission-critical role in counter-UAS operations. Alongside Dronebuster®, DZYNE’s broader C-UAS suite—including Sawtooth, ASP, and the newly introduced Dronebuster-FS—is currently deployed across 50+ countries, protecting critical infrastructure, military bases, borders, and high-threat environments.

The success and widespread adoption of these systems directly inspired the development of the Dronebuster® 4-EU—a region-specific model tailored for compliance with European short-range device (SRD) frequency bands. Building on DZYNE’s global operational footprint, the 4-EU delivers enhanced wearability, flexible deployment configurations, and integrated detection capabilities for mission-critical drone defense across European civil, military, and infrastructure applications.

Key Use Cases Driving Global Demand

A surge in unlawful drone activity has amplified the necessity for robust counter-drone systems for civil and military users alike. The Dronebuster® 4-EU is tailored to support a wide array of applications, including:

Critical Infrastructure Protection – Safeguarding power plants, water treatment facilities, and transportation hubs from unauthorized drone incursions that could disrupt operations or compromise safety.

Stadium and Event Security – Ensuring the safety of large gatherings by preventing potential drone-related threats during concerts, sports events, and public assemblies.

Secure Facility Defense – Protecting sensitive sites such as government buildings, research centers, and military installations from espionage or other malicious drone activities.

Airports – Preventing drone interference with aircraft operations and securing airspace around runways and terminals to protect passengers, personnel, and flight schedules.

Maritime Security – Defending vessels and maritime operations against drone threats, crucial for both commercial shipping and naval applications.

Border Surveillance and Point Defense – Enhancing border security by detecting and mitigating unauthorized drone crossings, aiding in the prevention of smuggling and unauthorized surveillance.

Dronebuster® 4-EU is available for purchase in fixed site, mobile, and handheld configurations, offering maximum flexibility for users to implement a single or networked layered defense solution against unwanted drones. Paired with its Detect, Track, Identify, and Mitigate (DTIM) wearable solution, a single user can detect drones out to 7km away and accurately defeat out to1.5km or more.

Production Expansion to Meet Diverse Needs

In response to the growing demand across these sectors, DZYNE is scaling up operations at its Portland, Oregon manufacturing facility, including:

Increased Manufacturing Capacity – Enhancing production lines to deliver the Dronebuster® 4EU to a global clientele promptly.

Workforce Growth – Creating new positions in engineering, production, and business development to support expanded operations and uphold stringent quality standards.

For more information on DZYNES Dronebuster® DTIM Kit or to request a product demo, please contact us at info@dzyne.com

Dronebuster® is a registered trademark of DZYNE.

Pixels on Target Awarded Contract to Produce MAS-N Squad

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025

Pixels on Target LLC (“Pixels), Sunrise, Florida has been awarded a 10-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum ceiling of $92,527,353 for Miniature Aiming System Night-Squad kits, spare parts and accessories, repairs, new equipment training, and engineering change proposals in support of US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The work will be performed in Sunrise, Florida, and the last day to order under the contract is March 12, 2035. USSOCOM, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity.

“The MAS-N Squad is a significant upgrade in thermal target acquisition and brings game-changing capabilities to our Special Operators,” said Sumeet Suri, President and Co-Founder of Pixels on Target. “We are proud to provide systems to USSOCOM that increase their readiness, lethality and mission effectiveness.”

MAS-N Squad is a SOF-Specific variant of the Pixels on Target VooDoo-S Multi-Mission Thermal Sight, of which Pixels has built and delivered over 6,000 systems to US and Allied forces since 2019. MAS-N Squad and VooDoo-S share a high percentage of common components, which enables Pixels to fully utilize its already-established production capabilities and supply chain to deliver maximum value to USSOCOM.

About Pixels on Target: Pixels on Target LLC designs, builds, and delivers the Next Generation of Thermal Optics for the world’s most elite tactical users. Located in Sunrise, Florida, Pixels has assembled a team of the best product developers, engineers, subject matter experts, and supply chain partners. Pixels on Target is a privately held, US-owned and operated company.


MAS-N Squad Mounted on Rifle with Day Optic

Defense Innovation Unit Releases Solicitation for Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025

The Defense Innovation Unit has released a solicitation for the Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform (CAMP), seeking commercially available, demonstration-ready uncrewed systems that address these limitations, offering a scalable and cost-effective solution for long-range, high-capacity payload deployment. This procurement is using Other Transaction Authority.

Northrop Grumman Manta Ray UUV for DARPA.

To maximize operational effectiveness in contested environments, the United States military requires enhanced capabilities for deploying large payloads across extended ranges. Current UUV capabilities present limitations in range and payload capacity, hindering the effective deployment of critical resources in certain operational scenarios.

Desired mission sets include, but are not limited to:

-Emplacement of various sized payloads

-Bathymetric surveys and mapping

-Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance

-Communications across the air/water interface (acoustic and Radio Frequency)

-Ability to operate in a GPS denied environments

Desired Solution Attributes

A candidate platform should have some or all of the following characteristics:

-Exceptional range, capable of transits greater than 1000nm.

-Capable of performing deeper than 200m underwater.

-Modular payload capacity with ability to drop various payloads to the seafloor. Payload sizes include but are not limited to:

–5ft long, 19 inches in diameter

–21ft in length and 21 inches in diameter

-Autonomous operation including navigation, guidance, and obstacle/collision avoidance (including during emergence and at surface), as well as remote operation.

-Capability for RF communications, and capability or demonstrate a pathway for undersea communications.

-Modularity, including the ability to switch from different payloads and mission sets.

-Hardware and software architecture with open interfaces, with a demonstrable pathway to integrate with various third party payloads;

-Demonstrable pathway to integrate with third party control systems, including but not limited to government furnished common control system (CCS).

-Demonstrable pathway for UMAAcompliance.

-Demonstrable pathway to prevent, mitigate, and recover from the effects of tampering or cyber events to achieve an Authorization To Operate in alignment with applicable Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) recommendations for minimum standards for unmanned national security systems (NSS).

-Be transportable, deployable, and recoverable with commonly available commercial freight and transportation equipment, or demonstrate a development pathway to achieve this.

-Minimize surface expression and duration.

-Include modeling and simulation to inform specific vehicle behaviors and mission operations, or ability to integrate with 3rd party modeling and simulation solutions. 

This project is dedicated to the late Michael Camp, former Deputy Director of Warfare Systems, U.S. Pacific Fleet. 

Responses Due By 2025-05-01 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time.

Visit www.diu.mil/work-with-us/submit-solution/PROJ00567 for full details.

Veritone Achieves “Awardable” Status on DoD’s Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace with AI-Powered Investigate Solution

Friday, April 18th, 2025

Investigate joins existing Veritone solutions on the DoD’s premier AI procurement marketplace to complete the availability of the iDEMS suite

DENVER –– April 17, 2025 –– Veritone, Inc. (NASDAQ: VERI), a leader in building human-centered enterprise AI solutions, today announced that it has achieved “Awardable” status through the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office’s (CDAO) Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace. Veritone’s Investigate solution has been added to the Tradewinds Marketplace.

The Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace is the premiere offering of Tradewinds, the Department of Defense’s suite of tools and services designed to accelerate the procurement and adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML), data and analytics capabilities from organizations, including Veritone.

Investigate is an open architecture evidence management system that ingests large datasets from an expansive partner ecosystem, including but not limited to:

Device extraction tools

Home security systems

Drones and unmanned aircrafts

Body and in-car cameras

Video management systems

Investigations and forensics solutions

Gunfire detection systems

Gun crime intelligence systems

License plate readers

Secure data link protocol providers

e-Discovery platforms

Freedom Of Information Act (“FOIA”) solutions 

Hyperscaler’s cloud storage platforms

Once the data is ingested, it’s processed using AI, then indexed, transformed, correlated and analyzed to provide near real-time actionable insights and a holistic view of any investigation, reducing the high-volume, time-consuming work many public sector employees spend significant amounts of time completing. By focusing on more critical work, organizations are better positioned to increase case clearance rates and the number of crimes solved.

“While the availability of evidentiary data is an advantage, it also presents significant challenges for investigators who spend countless hours collecting, organizing and reviewing evidence,” said Ryan Steelberg, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Veritone. “Achieving ‘Awardable’ status for Investigate accelerates the availability of our iDEMS solution and empowers our customers to improve case clearance rates and deliver justice more efficiently.”

Investigate joins an existing suite of Veritone solutions on Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace, including Illuminate, IDentify, Track and Redact, completing Veritone’s Intelligent Digital Evidence Management System (iDEMS). Purpose-built for the public sector, Veritone iDEMS leverages AI to help public safety agencies solve more crimes and bring higher levels of safety and trust to their communities by streamlining the management and analysis of digital evidence, including audio and video data, quickly and accurately.

iDEMS is built on Veritone’s aiWARE TM platform and can be leveraged by DoD customers within their public cloud tenant or in their secure data center. aiWARE is an AI operating system that intelligently and securely orchestrates hundreds of best-of-breed cognitive and generative models in a single solution to transform extensive volumes of unstructured data, including video and audio, into actionable insights. 

To learn more about Veritone’s public sector solutions, visit: www.veritone.com/solutions/public-sector

Scout AI Emerges from Stealth with $15M Seed Round, Lands 2 DoD Contracts, and Unveils Fury – Robotic Foundation Model for Defense

Thursday, April 17th, 2025

SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 16, 2025 — Scout AI Inc. (“Scout”) today announced its emergence from stealth mode with a bold mission: to build the AGI brain for defense robotics. The company also unveiled an oversubscribed $15 million seed round led by Align Ventures and Booz Allen Ventures, and revealed it has been selected for multiple Department of Defense (DoD) contracts.

Founded in August 2024 by Colby Adcock and Collin Otis, Scout brings together deep experience at the intersection of AI, robotics, and defense. CEO Colby Adcock is a former tech private equity executive and current board member at humanoid robotics company Figure AI. CTO Collin Otis is a serial entrepreneur who previously was a founding engineer and Director of Autonomy and AI at Kodiak Robotics and Head of Data Science and Chief of Staff at Uber ATG. He has built autonomy systems from the ground up for both commercial and military platforms and previously sold a venture-backed startup to Target.

At the core of Scout’s breakthrough is Fury, a defense-specific Vision-Language-Action (VLA) foundation model engineered to transform every defense robot into an intelligent, autonomous agent. Unlike traditional robotics software, Fury is an embodied AI system — capable of perceiving the physical world, interpreting natural language, and issuing real-time motor commands to act decisively even in communication and GPS-denied environments.

“Achieving warfighter-level versatility in robotic systems requires grounding AI in physical reality,” said Otis. “By training our system on human-level behavior we make our AI embodied. Fury develops the kind of intelligence warfighters naturally have — situational, physical, and adaptive.”

What sets Fury apart from conventional language models is its ability to perceive, reason, and act across multiple modalities. It doesn’t just output text — it commands machines. Trained on large-scale real-world data, Fury brings multimodal reasoning and precision control to a wide spectrum of uncrewed systems: ground, air, sea, and space. It can be directed via natural language or fine-tuned for specific mission profiles, delivering human-like autonomy at machine scale.

Scout’s first two prototypes — the G01 unmanned ground vehicle and A01 unmanned aerial vehicle — are already operating autonomously powered by Fury at the company’s proving grounds in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

“Physical AI is the most decisive military advantage of the century,” said Adcock. “Our vision is one warfighter commanding many robots — seamlessly integrated into a unified team. That level of human-machine integration requires an AI brain like Fury that understands commander intent and can think, move, and collaborate like seasoned operators. That’s how we achieve true force multiplication.”

Scout is proudly planting its flag in Silicon Valley, building its team in Sunnyvale and pulling top AI and autonomy talent from the self-driving, big tech, and defense worlds to tackle this critical mission. “We’re bringing in the world’s best engineers to work on the world’s most important frontier — making sure this AI is built securely and responsibly for the good guys,” said Adcock. “Our adversaries are already building it. We must develop this technology and outpace them — and ensure the U.S. leads the future of intelligent defense systems.”

Scout is also taking a partnership-driven approach. Its Fury system is designed to be lightweight, modular, and hardware-agnostic — running on as little as a single commercial off-the-shelf camera and low-power inference chip, enabling rapid integration into existing and emerging robotic hardware systems. A growing list of robotics companies are partnering with Scout to embed Fury into their platforms, unlocking advanced autonomy without overhauling their hardware. Industry partners looking to learn more can reach out directly via partnerships@scoutco.ai.

“Our system is designed to make existing platforms intelligent, and we’re excited to be working with partners across the defense ecosystem to bring that capability to scale,” noted Otis.

Scout closed on its $15 million seed round, led by Align Ventures and Booz Allen Ventures, with participation from Draper Associates, Decisive Point Ventures, Perot Jain, Sigmas Group, Evolution VC, BVVC, Habitat Partners, Piedmont Capital Investments, FJ Labs, Revelry Venture Partners, Monte Carlo Capital, Expansion VC, and Gaingels.

To learn more, visit scoutco.ai.

SIG M17 with SIG ROMEO-M17 Red Dot Optic Selected as the Official Sidearm of the Texas Department of Public Safety

Wednesday, April 16th, 2025

NEWINGTON, N.H., (April 16, 2025) – SIG SAUER, Inc. is proud to announce the Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS) is transitioning all their troopers to the SIG M17 pistol with a SIG ROMEO-M17 red dot optic.

“We are proud the Texas Department of Public Safety chose the SIG M17 as its official sidearm,” began Tom Jankiewicz, Executive Vice President, Law Enforcement Sales for SIG SAUER, Inc. “Having selected the ROMEO-M17 red dot optic, TXDPS conducted an exhaustive testing process, firing thousands upon thousands of rounds, and concluded that the SIG ROMEO-M17, optimized with the SIG M17 pistols, was the clear choice for their agency.”

The SIG M17, the official sidearm of the Texas Department of Public Safety, offers the performance and reliability of the U.S. Military M17, loaded with advanced X-series features. The SIG ROMEO-M17 red dot optic is the ultimate aiming solution, developed from the ground up specifically for the M17 and designed to withstand the rigors of the professional user.

“SIG SAUER is honored that the brave men and women of the Texas Department of Public Safety continue to trust our products to carry out their mission to protect and serve the citizens of the Lone Star state,” concluded Jankiewicz.

Visit sigsauer.com for complete specs and product information about the SIG M17 and SIG ROMEO-M17.

Army Launches xTechOverwatch Competition to Advance Autonomous Capabilities

Tuesday, April 15th, 2025

WASHINGTON — On April 2, 2025, the U.S. Army xTech Program launched xTechOverwatch to advance military capabilities in autonomous air and ground vehicles. This competition directly addresses critical Army requirements by partnering with small businesses developing artificial intelligence and sensor technologies. Participants can earn $35,000 in cash prizes and pursue follow-on Army Small Business Innovation Research contract awards.

How it Works

The Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, in partnership with Army Futures Command, launched the xTechOverwatch competition to identify innovative solutions for advanced autonomous unmanned systems, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned ground vehicles and sensor networks. The Army plans to select up to 40 finalists, awarding each a $15,000 cash prize and providing them an opportunity to showcase their solutions to Army and Department of Defense experts during a live demonstration at the Army Human Machine Integration Summit in October 2025.

During the demonstration, government stakeholders will assess the participants’ technological capabilities, solution maturity and potential contributions to identify the most promising advancements. In August 2025, finalists will also attend a Collider event designed to facilitate high-impact networking, knowledge-sharing and strategic partnerships with industry leaders and peers.

Following the final pitch demonstrations, the Army will select up to 20 winners, awarding each a $20,000 cash prize and offering each firm the opportunity to submit a Direct to Phase II Army SBIR proposal through the Army SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer Program. Valued at up to $2 million per proposal, these submissions could secure up to $40 million in funding to help businesses transition innovations from prototypes to practical applications. Through this initiative, the Army aims to deliver advanced technologies to Soldiers, enhance operational efficiency, safety and effectiveness, and foster relationships with key Army and DoD representatives that empower participants to grow their businesses.

Competition Timeline

Concept White Paper Submission:Between April 2 and May 21, 2025, businesses may submit short concept white papers outlining technology alignments, their solutions’ advantages and impact, technical approaches and commercial potential.

Collider Event: In August 2025, AFC will host a Collider event at Fed Supernova, a unique forum designed to foster collaboration between xTechOverwatch finalists and technology integrators to pitch innovative, dual-use solutions that can address the Army’s current and future needs.

Final Pitch Demonstration Event: In October 2025, finalists will pitch and demonstrate their innovative technology solutions to a panel of Army and DoD experts.

Follow-On SBIR Opportunities: From Nov. 15-25, 2025, up to 20 xTechOverwatch winners may submit a Direct to Phase II Army SBIR proposal.

Eligibility Requirements

To participate in xTechOverwatch, vendors must be for-profit businesses operating in the U.S. that adhere to 13 C.F.R. § 121.702. Over 50% of the equity must be held by U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or other for-profit small businesses with no more than 500 employees, including affiliates.

Proposals must be fresh and unique, distinct from any that have received funding, are currently funded, or have pending funding from other federal agencies. If there is any uncertainty about this, vendors should visit the xTechOverwatch Competition Request for Information for further details and to ensure their innovative solutions are eligible for submission to this competition.

About the Army xTech Program

Established in 2018, the Army xTech Program offers participants unparalleled exposure to Army laboratories, program executive offices, and program managers. Participants receive valuable feedback from Army DoD stakeholders and gain access to training, mentorship, and networking opportunities, aligning their solutions with Army needs. The xTech Program hosts several competitions annually, including open-topic competitions like xTechSearch and technology-specific competitions addressing critical Army requirements.

About the Army SBIR|STTR Program

Army SBIR actively releases funding opportunities, including Phase I funding for commercially viable, feasible, and technically sound solutions. Firms with mature technologies that meet Phase I requirements can progress to Phase II or begin directly with Direct to Phase II contracts. Army experts in technical, acquisition, and operational fields guide businesses to align their innovations with the Army’s critical needs throughout the process.

Army STTR integrates small businesses into the Army innovation ecosystem by coordinating with universities, federally funded research and development centers, or qualified non-profit research institutions. Small businesses serve as prime contractors, performing at least 40% of the work, while research partners complete at least 30%.

ASA(ALT) leverages innovative technologies to give Soldiers a decisive advantage in any environment by developing, acquiring, fielding and sustaining the world’s finest equipment and services. For more information, visit the ASA(ALT) web page and follow @ArmyASAALT.

Stay Updated

For more information, subscribe to email updates, explore the Army xTech Program website, or follow us on YouTube, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn. For inquiries, please contact the xTech Program mailbox.

By Daniel Smoot, Office of Army Innovation Programs, including xTech and the Army SBIR|STTR Program

Draganfly and SafeLane Global Enter into Multi-Year Agreement with Draganfly as the Preferred Global Provider of Landmine Mapping Drones and Aerial Survey Services

Monday, April 14th, 2025

First Ukraine Landmine Aerial Survey Contract Underway

Tampa, FL — April 10, 2025 — Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO) (CSE: DPRO) (FSE: 3U8) (“Draganfly” or the “Company”), an industry-leading developer of drone solutions and systems, today announced that it has been selected by SafeLane Global Ltd. (“SafeLane”) as its preferred unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and aerial survey provider.

SafeLane, a world-renowned specialist in explosive threat mitigation, is one of only two private organizations licensed by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense to conduct landmine and explosive ordnance clearance operations in Ukraine. With over 30 years of experience across more than 60 countries, SafeLane supports governments, humanitarian organizations, and commercial clients in the clearance and disposal of landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO), and explosive remnants of war (ERW), both on land and underwater.

Under the agreement, Draganfly will provide advanced drone solutions, including UAVs, specialized sensors, and data analysis services, to support SafeLane’s global mine action initiatives. The collaboration aims to enhance the speed, accuracy, and safety of explosive threat detection and removal operations in high-risk environments.

“We are honored to be selected as SafeLane’s UAS partner,” said Cameron Chell, President and CEO of Draganfly. “This partnership represents a significant opportunity to leverage Draganfly’s technology to support critical humanitarian and defense efforts. Together, we will work to deliver scalable, innovative solutions for global landmine action.”

The companies will co-develop joint intellectual property and standard operating procedures tailored for aerial mine detection and clearance. SafeLane will lead proposal submissions and operational deployment, while Draganfly will provide technology, mission planning, piloting, and survey analysis.

According to the Landmine Monitor 2023, more than 60 million landmines remain buried across over 60 countries, posing a persistent threat to civilians, especially children, who account for nearly half of the casualties. Ukraine is currently one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world.

“Draganfly’s drone-based technology will significantly increase the safety and efficiency of our operations,” said Asa Gilbert, Director of Business Development at SafeLane. “This partnership is a critical step in helping communities recover from the legacy of conflict.”

The collaboration further positions Draganfly as a key player in the defense and humanitarian sectors, supporting efforts to create safer environments in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.

draganfly.com